Regional geology and petroleum potential of the United State Chukchi shelf north of Point Hope
An extensive frontier terrain that is prospective for petroleum but is as yet incompletely explored and entirely untested underlies the United States Chukchi shelf north of Point Hope. The area is in most places underlain by a thick section of sedimentary rocks prospective for oil and gas, and it contains diverse geologic structures and stratigraphic features that may have trapped hydrocarbon fluids. The prospective sedimentary section includes every geologic system from the Carboniferous to the Tertiary and includes several formations that contain petroleum deposits or strong shows of oil or gas on parts of the North Slope of Alaska. These formations have proved disappointing, however, where tested in a few exploratory wells in the western part of the National Petroleum Reserve in Alaska (NPRA), an area that lies adjacent to the Chukchi shelf. The data base consists mainly of the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) multichannel seismic-reflection profiles and accompanying high-resolution seismic-reflection profiles shown in figure 10.1 and some additional USGS single-channel seismic-reflection profiles, sonobuoy refraction measurements, and seabed samples. The multichannel seismic profiles, on which the interpretations presented here are mainly based, are mostly 30 to 90 km apart, with typical line spacings of 40 to 50 km. Ice conditions during data acquisition were such, however, that profile coverage in the northern and northwestern parts of the Chukchi Sea is sparse. Because of the wide spacing and irregular distribution of the profiles, the interpretations are reconnaissance in character. Some of the profiles, particularly in the southwestern part of the study area, are affected by strong artifacts that further limit their usefulness for geologic interpretation and resource assessment.
- OSTI ID:
- 7129146
- Journal Information:
- United States Geological Survey, Professional Paper; (USA), Journal Name: United States Geological Survey, Professional Paper; (USA)
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Geologic framework and petroleum potential of United States Chukchi shelf north of Point Hope, Alaska
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Related Subjects
ALASKA
STRATEGIC PETROLEUM RESERVE
CHUKCHI SEA
PETROLEUM DEPOSITS
RESOURCE POTENTIAL
CLIMATES
CONSTRAINTS
EXPLORATION
EXPLORATORY WELLS
GEOLOGIC STRUCTURES
GEOLOGIC TRAPS
GEOLOGY
NATURAL GAS
PETROLEUM
RESOURCE ASSESSMENT
SEDIMENTARY ROCKS
SEISMIC SURVEYS
STRATIGRAPHY
US GS
ARCTIC OCEAN
ENERGY SOURCES
FEDERAL REGION X
FLUIDS
FOSSIL FUELS
FUEL GAS
FUELS
GAS FUELS
GASES
GEOLOGIC DEPOSITS
GEOPHYSICAL SURVEYS
MINERAL RESOURCES
NATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS
NORTH AMERICA
RESERVES
RESOURCES
ROCKS
SEAS
SURFACE WATERS
SURVEYS
US DOI
US ORGANIZATIONS
USA
WELLS
020200* - Petroleum- Reserves
Geology
& Exploration